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Old April 21st 04, 05:09 PM
Mark Hawkins
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Default ANN: SoaringPilot 1.9.8

SoaringPilot 1.9.8 for PalmOS PDAs is now available from the main webpage
(www.soaringpilot.org). It includes several new features and fixes. Below
is a short list of the the new/enhanced/fixed items. The full list can be
seen on the webpage or within the Readme.pdf file in the download file.
Later!

-Mark Hawkins
www.soaringpilot.org

1. Enhanced Support for the Cambridge 302 -
A) Reformatted the Transfers screen to make room for new Logger Data button.
If C302 is selected as the Comp type on the NMEA/Port screen, a "Logger
Data" button will be displayed on the Transfers screen. Selecting this
button will allow for interaction with an attached Cambridge 302. You select
the data type you wish to transfer and the appropriate To 302/Fm 302 button
will be displayed. Currently, the following transfers are supported:
To the C302:
- Waypoints - All SoaringPilot waypoints are transferred to the 302. All
existing waypoints in the the 302 are removed first prior to the transfer.
- Glider/Polar Information - The current/active polar information is sent to
the 302.
- Pilot Information - The current/active Pilot information (IGC Info Screen)
and the 302-specific information from the Logger Config/Logger Data screen
are sent to the 302
B) Flight Transfer From the C302 - You can now transfer flights from the 302
to either a Flash Card or to the Palm RAM in PalmDOC format. Many thanks to
A) Marc Ramsey for his 302 example code and B) Dave Ellis for the use of his
loaner unit. I could not have gotten this done without both of their help.

2. Mixed Borgelt B50/Colibri Computer Type - New Computer type of mixed B50
and Colibri. If this type is selected, it parses the proprietary NMEA data
from both units and uses the information as appropriate.

3. New North Up and Course Up Map Modes - You may now select from three
different map orientation modes on the Map settings/config screen. The modes
a
Track Up - This is the current orientation method where the glider does not
rotate and the rotates as your heading changes.
North Up - Magnetic north is always at the top of the screen and the glider
symbol turns as your heading changes.
Course Up - If you have a waypoint selected or using an Active Task, the
direction current waypoint/turnpoint will always be at the top of the
screen. If this mode is selected but no waypoint/turnpoint is selected, it
will then use the North Up mode.
In addition to being able to select the mode from the Map settings/config
screen, you can also switch the current mode from the Moving Map. Simply
touch the Map Radius value are and it will toggle between the three modes.

4. Enhanced Waypoint Information - A new Waypoint Additional Information
screen has been added. It can be accessed two different ways. To add/modify
information for a waypoint in the database, simply edit the waypoint. There
is a button at the bottom of the edit screen labeled "Add. Info". When this
button is selected, a new screen is presented. This new screen has fields
for Runway Direction, Runway Length and Radio Frequency. In addition there
is a 64 character free-form area for other General description information.
When done, select the "Exit" button and you will be returned to the regular
edit screen for that waypoint. You MUST then select the "SAVE" button to
save this new information into the waypoint database. As with out changes to
the waypoint, if you select the "QUIT" button your recent changes will not
be saved. In addition, you can easily retrieve this additional information
from the Final Glide screen. If you have a waypoint selected or one is
active through an active task, if you touch the waypoint Remarks label or
field, the additional information screen will be displayed for the waypoint.
When opened in this mode, the screen will not save any changes that you
might make. It is essentially a "Read-only" view of the additional
information for that waypoint.

5. Added support for populating the new additional waypoint fields from
SeeYou .cup formatted waypoints.

6. On a Garmin iQue, reading from the serial port in addition to the
internal GPS information - This was requested by a Borgelt B50 user. When
iQue is selected as the NMEA data transfer type on the NMEA/Port screen,
there is a new option that allows you to also "Use Serial". If this checkbox
is selected as well, SoaringPilot will also open the iQue's serial port for
reading NMEA data. It ignores all positional NMEA data which would duplicate
what is being read from the internal GPS. However, it will read and use the
information as appropriate from an instrument/device connected to the serial
port. In the case of the B50, it reads the B50's proprietary NMEA data.

7. Additional Support for the Treo 600:
-Added support for the 5-Way Rocker Values to support the Treo 600 and other
devices which have this feature. The down and up obviously do page down and
page up, respectively. In addition, the right press is mapped to be the same
as page down and the left is the same as page up. The center press is
currently not used for anything but may in the future.
-Added support for the volume up and down buttons on the side of the Treo
600. Like the iQue, the top button (Up Volume) brings up the Waypoint
Selection list. This is helpful since the Treo has no "Calc" button to do
this with. Also like the iQue, the bottom (Volume Down) button either causes
the Final Glide screen to be displayed from any other screen, or, if on the
Final Glide screen, switches to the Moving Map screen. This is the same as
the "Home" silkscreen key and allows you to easily switch back and forth
between the Final Glide and Moving Map screens.

8. Several key map plotting functions have been greatly improved - These
functions are laying the foundation for implementing SUA warnings in the
next version. However, that also help improve map performance in the current
version, especially on older Palms.

9. Enhanced the Lift Averaging Function - It now is a true 30 second
averager rather than an average of the latest 15 lift calculations.

10. Added support for the Garmin iQue "Up" speed value for lift information
- If you are using an iQue, to enable the program to use this information,
just select the new iQue value on the NMEA/Port config screen for the "Comp"
type. It will then use the info coming from the iQue's GPS instead of
calculating lift from altitude changes. From the testing I have done, this
seems to be a very good source for providing lift information. It seems to
be accurate and stable. One thing to note though. The iQue does not output
this value when it only has a 2D GPS fix. This of course makes sense but can
make it seem like it isn't working.